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The Namibian government has maintained its silence over a group of farmworkers who have been living out in the open since their eviction from a farm belonging to a diplomat last month.
According to New Era, about 200 farmworkers were evicted from the farm, belonging to Namibia’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, in February.
Since the eviction, the affected families have been living out in the open on a road alongside the farm, leaving them vulnerable and susceptible to disease.
A toddler, whose parents belong to the group, recently passed away as a result of the harsh living conditions.
“The doctor told us that the child died from malaria and two other [children] are sick and have been in and out of the hospital lately. This is caused by mosquitos, because we don’t have any shelter. We’re just living in the open air,” the group’s spokesperson, Julietha Shimbojo was quoted as saying.
The evictees, among them elderly people and schoolgoing children, lamented their living conditions, saying they had no other place to go.
According to a previous News24 report, the families rejected a resettlement offer made by the Grootfontein municipality, saying that they would rather have a place to stay where they could remain “undisturbed” and in peace.
